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World Building Session 03
Back to the Episode list. Timestamps after the questions are for the twitch vod. !Adams Youtube |- | |'Adams Twitch' |} I was hoping you could shed a little more light on AI systems that will be used in the game. The tech that was used pre-synths must’ve been massively helpful for mech units… ways of jacking into the system… didn’t finish reading the question (2:21:57) * AI and synth intelligence - synths are grown, preconditioned super brains * Not programmed how computers are, biological computers * More human than west world synths * No true AI - AI are superhuman gods in SWN, so not synths * If they want to risk the destro of their house, triangles could do true AI * Apocrypha: AI is a crime, because our people died because of AI wrecking earth * AI = Bad Shit - maltech * Even with narrative, GM won’t touch that stuff no matter how neat to distance from Swan Song thematically * VI for sure - fake AI/semi intelligent * Body language/tone - good at pretending to be human but not legit * Not going to be humanised, and never will be self aware * Like Joy in Blade Runner 2049, can seem real * Helpful and limited * Hatsune Miku confirmed canon * Some ships run with VI subsystems * Don’t give personalities to AI, that’s gross (like alien level gross) Did Crux cause animosity by killing other Houses’ family members? (2:27:20) * Yes but did it for the empire Can a faction have a valid casus belli against the High Church? (2:27:35) * You can’t declare war on the church fuckos * NOPE * The empire is the only legit organisation, either part of it or no * No valid reason to do it? * Church are a Big Deal, so don’t do that shit (unless maybe ACRE??) * No emperox? Church on the throne? Then you could declare war on the empire * Religion church are unclear for a reason * Church = status quo * They use noble houses to fight their enemies * Could have defensive army for the church With the overwhelming amount of fan content before the show’s even started, what would you like to see to make it easier for you to ingest? (2:29:58) * Best way is in WIKI * Things Adam says go into the wiki, and he takes our stuff from there How would you describe the relationship between the Church or Humanity, Repentant and the High Church? How did you envision it? (2:31:06) * Step away from scifi religion (WH40K) * Post heretical, late renaissance separation of catholicism and protestantism * Belief in the same god; same dude in the sky - but god’s will is different * Repentant - god is kind, all loving, aliens can be god’s creatures, synths are also legit as babies we make, we fucked everything up and we need to make up for that shit * High church can rule all that stuff wrong * Not open war because that’s not a church thing, but rep. Are outside the status quo and don't have social power like the high church Is there a dueling culture in the setting akin to Dune or Fading Suns due to prominence of personal shields? (2:33:56) * We don’t have Dune’s slow blades or shields * Dueling is an individual thing to prevent dragging the house down into a civil war again * Reti. prevent war, as it’s inevitable without an alternative * They keep personal problems personal Are Noble Houses officially allowed to promote non-nobles? House Serpens has some lore about elevating select students. (2:35:26) * Very rare and gross b/c fuck peasants (not literally) * Can if you want, but people make fun of you for it * Dont * Make babies instead with your LOINS * So, “Far Verona” sounds like a reference to Fair Verona from “Romeo and Juliet”. Why was this title chosen, and what link, if any, would you say the show has to the aforementioned paly? (2:36:30) * Is it linked to the play??? Yes * Romeo and juliet reference for sure * Adam’s being cheeky again * Human level impact of warring houses, big theme inclusion Would it make sense if Aquila removed or retired the Blood Eagle from power, sort of “we take care of our own” kind of deal? (2:37:50) * Noone knows what actually happened * Multiple stories * How likely is it that you’ll use the House-recognized title? (2:38:13) * Yes * Doing that What has happened to all the research House Triangulum has made about AI and other forbidden subjects? Is it destroyed or does House Vela have some vault where it’s all kept? (2:38:45) * SECRETS * First rule of the Maltech club: you don’t talk about maltech * Could be hidden but DON’T TALK ABOUT IT * Maltech = badtech How much is known about the UPC and the situation on Yakiyah? (2:39:25) * Not a real thing * Same way the skaven are not a real thing * ~conspiracies~ * Super real, but fractured and doing what terrorist agitators do * Rising up in small ways * Read urself some communist manifesto shit * On the D/L now, but gonna be an issue Hi Adam! I’m wondering, in High Church theology do aliens have souls? (2:41:07) * Only humans have souls * Maybe once, but not many * “Are these angels” - adam, an anime meme about a guy with a book looking at a butterfly Has the Church ever had to step in as a regent in the past? (2:42:03) * Exarch stepped in, but no legit regent * Backup plan * Inflatable bumpers on a bowling alley What was the effect of the Blood Eagle’s reign hundreds of years ago? Why is he seen as a potential evil that House Aquila could become again if they’re offered the throne? What can we do to prove that House Aquila is different from what we used to be? (2:43:01) * Murder * We don’t want murder king * There’s noone else to murder, we’d have to murder ourselves * If aliens came from another sector? Maybe we’d need another eagle emp, but otherwise BAD * Be helpful * Only people who are ignorant and ask, what if germany is still hitler * They’ve changed from the blood eagle era * Crest is banned, and burned and shit * Secret aquilans who want to bring them back - they’re stupid but they exist * Maybe possible with a great enough threat * SONS OF THE TALON #neoeaglists #totallynotnazis #emperordarkthrone How intelligent are the aliens of Kama? I believe they’re modified by the Guild, but to what extent? Are a bunch modified, and others fully artificial? Are they reduced to slavery? Are they sentient beings with rights? (2:46:01) * Never sentient beings with rights don't be silly * Kamakamakamakamelia * Guild sex planet???? All horribly modified by the guild to bone down with easier * Pls no * Even Adam is grossed out thinking about this How long has “House” Vagrant been organised into the council of the Seven of Six? Has the Southern Rim previously been home to other orders of piracy and only now they’re organizing? Has the organization/collaboration represented been around much longer than that? (2:47:14) * “”””House”””” * Only exists now because, like vultures, there’s an opportunity to form up * Similar to UPC * Rising up bc FUCK YOU NOBLES * Vagrant = aggression * UPC = fractured * BOTH?? We’re fucked Do the individual factions have very individual aesthetics in terms of ship design, i.e. cruciform ships for Crux, vaguely avian ships for Aquila? (2:48:28) * Up to you * Fornax makes the ships, so they would work with a person to design * Each house would have classes * Only some are unique, because mass production is easier and shit * Super rich people can have fancy ships Is the voting of the Houses Minor have to do a mechanical abstraction to make them work as a faction, or there’s a certain amount of narrative discussion going on in-universe? (2:50:26) * Yep there’s an IC counsel but also OOC * Synedrium astral * Narrative and mechanical * Not a lore question, but can we get an IC general chat? (2:51:08) * No, you’re broken up on purpose * No internet as we think of it * In far verona internet is a truck * Planets can have synchronous internet, but updating between systems is reliant on ships * A bunch of disconnected internets What is the main population of the prison planet? In terms of, like, political, or former soldiers, or that kind of thing? (2:52:32) * Prisoners * Thanks adam * Life sentence - once you go there you dont come back * EXILE * Done the bad What would be the implications for the Empire if the Noble Houses eliminated House Crux? (2:53:43) * Someone would have to take over * War, legit war * Synedrium would break up * Restructure of faction turn * Bad shit * C h a o s * tears of starlight in Repentant Could a former Cygnus member hide within the confines of A.C.R.E. as maybe a director? (2:54:51) * They’re everywhere * Crux hunting them down * Easy, but being hunted * Already members of swan in ACRE, but they gave up their nobility - still beholden? * Turned themselves in for sure * Lots of Cygnus serfs got transferred to crux etc * Gats? Dead. #RememberGats What is the frequency of MES? (2:56:53) * In the book * 1/10,000? Ish * Everyone affected at all, not incl pc level? * Includes wild and dead people Let’s talk about synths before all of this stuff. (2:58:49) * Synth animals are a thing and they’re cool, recreating animals is like breeding them * Perfect owl? YEAH * Synth humans are a mockery of humanity and also politics * They were tools, love them like pets/tools, but not people * V expensive object * No animals with human intelligence (any more), tech is gone with Cygnus * No Sailor Moon Luna/Artemis Would the Emperox have had a Reticulum bodyguard? Does that fall to another House? If so, what happened to that bodyguard when the Emperox was killed, and do they have a special ranking name as the Emperox’s bodyguard? (3:00:26) * Was, then not. * Up to reticulum - you gave them a bodyguard * Then that person couldnt do their job - how, why? * Quit? Killed? Ritual suicide? Do synths need to eat or sleep and can they reproduce? (3:01:46) * No, no and no * Older models need protein paste, but newer use induction surfaces * That induction battery are too prevalent to be able to get rid of them * Some synths have more than a lump to go to bonetown - there’s the DONG How long ago were synths developed to be visually indistinguishable from humans? (3:03:10) * Quickly so we don’t get creeped out (but also because sex bots) * Couple generations of bad lookers then good ones * Are there any older key events or people in synthetic human history that’s public knowledge? (3:03:34) * Records seized by crux or bombed on gats What is the process of detecting synths? (3:03:59) * Look at the “synth book” and then we cut their brain open and find the barcode * No barcode? Had to be a synth anyway must have hidden it, cover it up * Technically you could capture and sedate, cut open, and find and then put back - you’d kill them anyway probably * If a human gets retired then it’s “oops my bad” unless it’s a noble * If you get that far - interrogation - then you’re fucked already, you’ll be shunned How much of a big deal is it that “House” Vagrant is organised now? (3:06:41) * Look at the faction turn * A Big Deal * But show us how big of a deal you are, Vagrants Will the factions need in-character reasons for the actions they perform? For example, would House Crux need an in-character reason to know where to look for stealth assets? Given the locations we have public knowledge out of character. (3:07:13) * No, this isn't fiction-first, but justify IC after the fact * Can backdate stuff to explain, just play by the rules * Doesn't make stealth bad - game made to be played by one person Does the sector as a whole have the death sentence for Imperial citizens? (3:08:39) * Try not to murder people * God says human life is sacred, don't kill shit? * Adam’s shilling for the High Church smh * Pope Adam * When we kill, we make a mistake, but it happens * Killing non humans isn’t a crime, maybe a misdemeanor but nothing more * Worst crime? You go to JAIL * No death sentence Can non-noble persons be party to a duel? Can they hire a duelist? (3:11:10) * No * Dueling is for nobles * Fights are a-ok * “What if a noble challenges a non-noble to a duel?” - what if a man has sex with a pig? What can you tell us about the history of the Houses aside from what’s already established? What did they do before our timeline? (3:11:42) * Each house draws origin from a colony ship; kind of pantheonic now * Really just set out to do a job * Not thought about much Is the Guild intended to be allegory for all of us, a bunch of people just playing a game that affects the PCs’ whole universe, or is that just a happy coincidence? (3:13:00) * Guild is mods - ULTIMATE POWER * Post-humanism - human as origin aliens * Misc trickster gods to play with the world * Deus ex machina * “O shit” - the PCs meeting the guild * The Q wasn't scary because he didn't turn anyone inside out on screen * Scary fuckers, they did some serious shit to us that we don't remember Who deals with enforcement of tax law? Crux? Aquila? Crux-Aquila with Eridanus representative? (3:14:48) * Eridanus flags violation, and then asks - if you don’t do the thing they send Crux * Aquila not really used? No need to involve the army How normal are Earth animals in Acheron Rho? Are they all gone? Do we still have cows, pigs, horses, chickens? What about Earth plants? (3:15:50) * Cygnus - original purpose were the ones that brought earth genetic seed bank * Some of it survived, some didn’t * Some were upgraded * chicken/cow/pig analogues * Familiar but not the same How important will the ship the PCs are on be to Crux’s overall goals? (3:17:03) * Up to crux Does Crux have a police or a lawkeeping fleet? (3:17:22) * Cop cars for sure * The law needs upkeep by them * They don't go to war, they’re cops * Call in aquila and justify as against the throne * Synths aren’t humans etc to get aquila on board * And for that, the church had to excommunicate synths * Suckers? Doing their job? * None of the houses really go to war * Crux started the war, but not finished How common are ships? Can a middle-class person buy small personal ship? (3:18:50) * No middle class, rich or poor * Ships are pricey Is the UPC technically within the boundaries of law, or do our activities violate enough laws to warrant a military intervention? (3:19:28) * Depends on the faction turn and what you do * Technically not illegal though, may violate local law, but not to the point of military intervention * But YOU WILL I was curious regarding familial lineages in the Houses Major/Minor. Would my family be one long line or proud Serpens, or does the House family or does the House your family belong to differ - marriage within Houses, adoption, etc.? (3:20:28) * The best can track back to the constellation ships * Cousin sex * one/two families per house probably * It’s a LIE * All noble horseshit * Used to leverage power What is the ratio of psychics to non-psychics in House Lyra given our focus on telepathy breeding? (3:21:33) * Don't just breed for telepaths, for many things * Fucking with people’s brains mostly, make yourself more appealing * Lyra - telepath mostly * Seprens - bio/meta and precog primarily * Same ratio as elsewhere Would the Empire at large consider A.C.R.E. a lawful entity, or has the corporation been publicly associated with shady dealings and practices? (3:23:20) * Acre is technically outside the empire * Legit but not on paper and doesn’t have the rights of a house * So big and important that we can't fight anymore, too ingrained * All families have members in acre * Separation is painful * We need ACRE, but noone’s happy about it How many workers were displaced by synth workers? They all end up a part of “House” Vagrant. How integrated were synths in all levels of society pre-Crux? Menial jobs, higher-level status, equal citizens of the Empire? (3:24:57) * Workers weren’t really displaced, but supplemented * Sped up colonisations * Filling in space that was empty, and now it’s empty again * 8 worth of infrastructure but 1 worth of people again * There were synths afforded better treatment than people * Cygnus leaders personal synth? Lived a life of luxury and beauty not feasible for a pleb * Gross * HOW DARE THEY Does Acheron Rho have the standard SWN nuke sniffers and related events for TL4 drive cores? I recall you bringing up nukes from time to time. Is the uselessness of nukes in core SWN just not a thing? Does this make them more dangerous? (3:31:57) * Most people have nuke detection, but a small amount don’t * Could be dangerous depending Is there a council of House leaders, and how would they be seen? Public senate, secret council? Will these be NPCs? Will they make an appearance and be named and described as the speaker of each House? (3:32:43) * Asked to give room for NPCs to be the highest level * Each house has to have a leader/figurehead * If the house took the throne, then it’d be that person Adam, what kind of ridiculous curveball are you gonna throw at House Vela to turn them from the peace-loving book nerds into the most terrible evil the sector has even seen? (3:33:40) * Adam’s not going to turn you evil * Evil is subjective anyway The Deathless have taken to naming name of their things after Slavic folklore: the names of our mech classes are based off of monsters or creatures of that folklore; the names of our ship classes are Slavic heroes. Do you like this? (3:34:57) * Yes, shit’s cool Was the Guild here before the rest of the Houses, or did the come along with the Houses came with the Houses with Project Constellation? (3:35:17) * No one knows or remembers * The guild bases their structure on gaming guilds, don’t know why * ????? * ???????? * Maybe aliens? * Time travel???? * Sorcery. Is there any reason to believe Vela has access to something from Earth that in real life has significance, such as the Voyager golden records? (3:36:29) * Their understanding is confused, but still the best of all houses * Ask questions! Would you prefer us giving a detailed proposal of ideas for lore, or would you prefer a summary of ideas from which you can choose? (3:37:26) * Follow canon first, flesh out, let him draw from that * Give adam room so not super specific * Liveable small details are better than big broad things * Misinterpretations of mythology! - shows distance * Icarus as a CEO * Subtle about goofs - take it seriously, no Weird Al Yankovic cult * As weird as the guild? Dial that shit back * Black hole worshippers? Better have a really good cultural justification How effective is the Trilliant Ring life rejuvenation treatment? Can they make the user live forever? (3:41:43) * We don't know yet, lived as long as they’ve been treated * Not dead yet! * (yet) Any aliens that look like giant otters? (3:42:13) * Nope Is nobility exclusive in the Empire? Could a lower nobility be formed over the span of Empire’s life through non-first-born-marrying commoners making their own path? (3:42:32) * Can't invent nobility * If Houses split, then it’s possible * What is your vision for the secret library? A physical, traditional library hidden somewhere? Metaphysical library, basically endless knowledge stored in the minds of the people of House Vela? Something else? (3:43:09) * shrugs * Make up some stuff, whatever you want to do Right now we’ve pretty much agreed that Vela has two forms of navigation, but only trains outside citizens in one. The second form is called “immersion” and not confirmed, just different. Would you implement this in the lore of the show if we expand on the details? Would it be reasonable that the navigator that is a Velan citizen would be preferred over a non-Velan citizen? (3:43:53) * Vela makes the maps and engine protocols, and make them in a multi changing language * Proprietary tools, only able to be read by trained navigators - racket, essentially * Navigator dies? Rip you * Backup navigators * Language changes - renew training and this is what keeps you safe * Secret secondary navigators? Abide by the game * Jump gates replaced spike drives, but then those are fuckoed * Pirates will try back-access stuff * Pyxis have a weird language too How out-in-the-open are doubts about Crux’s intention with House Cygnus? Do people talk about it openly? Is it a thing? (3:47:26) * Not out in the open - everyone believes crux version but some people distrust all nobles or everything the other noble houses say * We all have to believe the lie, else what’s the alternative * Crux killed other naysayers, so nobody to listen to you if you say otherwise In previous games you hinted at psychics having to take medication to keep MES in check. Are you gonna implement a mechanic to force them to keep track of their meds? Is it just background information? (3:50:00) * In the game, system and setting * You have to take drugs, but not tracked unless if you’re in prison etc for several weeks, then it could impact you * Same as any other illness Besides Fornax (and the Guild), who has the capability to build ships and in what capacity? (3:51:14) * Any faction, but fornax is way better Where does House Aquila draw their troops from? Based on tithes, conscription, volunteers? (3:51:45) * Conscription * Own populace * Don't belong to aquila? No you can’t join * Up to community on the planet We decided there’s no real government for Triangulum, Pythagoras being an advisory council. Can the families of Triangulum pay Imperial taxes directly to Eridanus, be responsible for their own defense, education and survival? Can the families of Habitat 1, Lovelace simply pool their defense funds to administer the station and remain otherwise autonomous servants of the Empire? (3:52:37) * Yes and no * You run your planet, and you are in charge of it * Up to you how you run it * Look at the tags, you’re part of an empire etc, but your choice * How observant of High Church authority were the Houses before the current crisis? (3:53:55) * Church ship * Always an integral part of society Some factions have been toying around with the idea of an underground synth railroad. Would this fit the world? (3:54:38) * Yes * But super duper illegal, can get you criminalised * Having beliefs? Fine. Preaching silly ideas? Fine. * Housing synths? Super incredibly totally MEGA illegal dudes * Or don’t get caught Category:Lore Category:History